How can I control my anger?

Answered by: Dr Chandra M Gulhati | Editor, MIMS, New Delhi

Q:I am a 52 years old woman with hypertension for the last 12 years. I have been taking Losar-H and Metaproxl. I cannot sleep properly, therefore, the doctor prescribed Stilnoct. Sometimes I feel anxiety about nothing, tension, over-appetite, disturbed moods and mood swings; for these problems I have been prescribed Anxit 0.25 mg. In addition, I have been taking Thyronorm for my thyroid problem. When I use Anxit I feel alright, but later again I start feeling tense and cannot control my irritation and anger. Please advise.

A:Losar-H contains two medicines: losartan and hydrochlorothiazide. Metapro-XL contains metoprolol. Stilnoct contains zolpidem while Anxit contains alprazolam. The use of metoprolol (such as Metapro-XL) is not desirable since it can cause diabetes. Zolpidem (Stilnoct) is to be used only for very brief periods, say a week or 10 days if sleeplessness is extreme, distressing and debilitating. Its side effects include vertigo, dizziness, headache, asthenia, drowsiness, addiction, memory disturbances, nightmares, restlessness at night, depression, confusion, perceptual disturbances or diplopia, tremor, ataxia and falls, rebound sleeplessness, sleep walking, uncontrollable eating, worsening of depression, including suicidal thoughts and actions in depressed patients and water retention (angioedema). Side effects of Anxit include - Central Nervous System disturbances including impaired alertness, amnesia, impaired memory, coordination or attention, dysarthria, ataxia, arthralgia (joint pain), dyspnoea (breathlessness), withdrawal seizures, tremors, etc. It would be noticed that both Anxit and Stilnoct could lead to addiction. I suggest you use non-drug methods to control your emotions such as Yoga.